Driver downed bottle of vodka before killing 13-year-old — indictment

Manslaughter suspect Eli Bar Zakai downed a bottle of vodka before getting into his car and fatally running down 13-year-old Eylon Shalev-Amsalem, an indictment filed Thursday said.

The Tel Aviv District Court charged the 23-year-old Jerusalem resident with manslaughter, causing grievous bodily harm, obstructing an investigation, tampering with evidence, drunk driving and speeding.

The indictment details the sequence of events that took place on July 26-27.

That night, Bar Zakai and his friend Hillel Davis traveled from the capital to a friend’s home in Petah Tikva. On the way, they stopped to pick up alcohol and cigarettes.

Upon reaching the friend’s home in Petah Tikva, the group began to smoke and drink. Bar Zakai then phoned a friend and arranged to meet him at the Shalvata club in the Tel Aviv port. During the conversation, the suspect disclosed that he’d “already downed a bottle of Beluga (vodka).”

The group then made its way to a birthday party in the Tel Aviv suburb of Givatayim, with one of Bar Zakai’s friends serving as the designated driver in the suspect’s car. Dissatisfied by the party, the suspect urged Davis and the designated driver friend to continue with him to Tel Aviv.

After the latter two told Bar Zakai that they wanted to stay, the suspect became enraged and stormed off toward the car on his own.

Realizing that his friend was drunk, Davis called Bar Zakai before he began driving and tried to convince him not to leave.

“You’ll get to Shalvata with your license revoked for the rest of your life,” he told his friend, in an unsuccessful attempt at convincing him.

Bar Zakai phoned the other friend, letting him know he was leaving Givatayim and would arrive at the bar in 20 minutes. During the conversation, the suspect again mentioned that he had “downed a bottle of Beluga.”

Just after 1 a.m. Bar Zakai was driving down Shai Agnon street in northern Tel Aviv when he reached a curved intersection at Ibn Gabirol street. Bar Zakai failed to slow down before making the turn and plowed into Shalev-Amsalem and a friend, who were waiting at a street crossing.

Shalev-Amsalem was thrown 26 meters (85 feet) through the air and his friend was flung 15 meters (49 feet) from the point of contact. The victims were rushed to the hospital where Shalev Amsalem was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. The second teen sustained moderate injuries to his upper body.

Upon getting out of his wrecked car and seeing the victims’ bodies, Bar Zakai called Davis, panicking. “Listen Hillel, I’m wasted. Bring me water,” he said, in an effort to blunt the effects of the alcohol before being tested by police.

When he realized that Davis was not coming, Bar Zakai asked a municipal employee at the scene for water. He quickly drank the entire 1.5 liter bottle.

The suspect immediately asked for another bottle, arousing the suspicions of the employee, who refused.

At which point, Bar Zakai phoned Davis again and told him not to tell anyone that they had drunk together earlier that night.

He later tried forcing himself to throw up in an attempt to further diminish signs of alcohol in his system. The suspect then phoned Davis, who recommended that he eat Mentos candies.

Bar Zakai then realized that all of his calls had been recorded by an app on his phone, which he deleted on the spot.

Police at the scene of the accident had Bar Zakai take a breathalyzer test, which found that he was under the influence of alcohol. The test marked his blood alcohol level at 600 micrograms per liter, more than twice the amount allowed for a driver under the age of 24.

Since the test that was performed is often not enough to hold up in court, police requested an additional, more accurate blood test, but Bar Zakai refused. According to Israeli law, such refusal means that the suspect is considered to legally have been drunk.

Upon submitting the indictment, the prosecution requested that Bar Zakai remain under house arrest until the end of proceedings against him.

“He drove drunk, well aware of the damage his actions could cause,” the Tel Aviv District Attorney’s Office said.